DOB: 02/27/1996
Height/Weight: 5’9” 175 lbs.
Bats/Throws: R/R
BP (26) - Future Tools: 60 hit, 60 arm, 50 power Role: 60—First-division shortstop
It’s very unlikely Barreto ends up a perennial MVP candidate like the man he was traded for, but he’s going to be a very good player for a very long time. His feel for hitting is outstanding, as he stays through the zone with a quick, loose swing and sprays bullets all over the field. Despite his smallish stature, his wrist strength and natural loft produce solid-average power that has begun showing up in games.(He can also put the ball into the opposite-field gaps.) If there’s an issue here offensively, it’s with the approach, as Barreto will swing at pitches outside the zone and rarely walks—40 percent of his 15 walks came in the month of May alone, and from June 6th to July 7th he walked just once in 92 plate appearances.
Barreto has the athleticism and arm strength you look for in a shortstop, but the fundamentals—or lack thereof—make his long-term position a question mark. He’s made 79 errors over the last three seasons—34 just last year—and, even if errors are an awful guide, my looks have confirmed that he just doesn’t always put forth the necessary effort; I saw instances of him failing to charge the ball and throwing off his back foot, and there was an “ole” moment or two. This is common in young players, but it’s possible a team will feel more comfortable playing him at third or second base, or even move him to the outfield because of these lapses. The offensive skill set will play anywhere, but if Barreto can stay at shortstop, he’s got a chance to be a true impact player.
Bret Sayre's Fantasy Take: The hope for fantasy owners is that Barreto will at least stick somewhere in the middle infield, which is pretty likely during at least the early part of his career. That said, you’d be hard pressed to turn your nose up at a potential .290 hitter capable of reaching 15 homers and steals regardless of what eligibility he has.
MLB.com (23) - Hit: 60 | Power: 50 | Run: 50 | Arm: 60 | Field: 45 | Overall: 55
Signed by the Blue Jays for $1.45 million in July 2012, Barreto put himself on the map in 2014 when he paced the Short Season Northwest League in most offensive categories. During the offseason, he became the key return for Oakland in the trade that sent 2015 AL MVP Award winner Josh Donaldson to Toronto. Barreto bypassed the Class A level entirely upon joining the A's system, making the jump directly to the Class A Advanced California League for his full-season debut. He thrived at the plate despite ranking as the league's second-youngest regular, hitting .302/.333/.500 with 13 home runs and 22 doubles in 90 games. However, Barreto's season ended prematurely in late July when he landed on the disabled list with a wrist contusion.
Barreto stands out for his combination of hitting ability and raw power. He's undersized at 5-foot-9, but he possesses a lightning-quick bat and explosive swing, and his feel for using the whole field at a young age suggests he'll hit for a high average. Barreto's approach is overly aggressive but doesn't result in too much swing-and-miss, a testament to his excellent contact skills. He is no worse than an average runner and runs the bases well, though his stolen base totals likely will be tied to his ability to get on base.
Barreto's defense at shortstop lags well behind his bat at this point in his career, a notion supported by a career-worst 34 errors in 84 games at the position in 2015. He has good range as well as a plus arm, but his actions are inconsistent and he struggles to control his body while on the move. Barreto will have every opportunity to prove he can stick at shortstop, but the bat could make him an impact player even if he's forced to second or third base.
KLaw (22) -
Barreto now wears the mantle as the main return for AL MVP Josh Donaldson, and while that's not quite fair to put on Barreto's shoulders, he's going to turn out to be a very good big leaguer, giving Oakland the shortstop they've lacked for 10 years.
Barreto jumped from short-season ball in the summer of 2014 to the Cal League this year, so he was by far the league's youngest regular at 19, yet still finished well above the median in batting average and slugging even though Stockton is one of the league's worst hitter's parks. He's a plus runner with a compact swing and great bat speed, producing hard contact albeit not much loft. He's an average defender at short, with enough of an arm for the position and plenty of foot speed, making gradual progress over the course of the season on things like footwork and positioning. Barreto did hit 13 bombs last year in fewer than 400 plate appearances, more power than I'd anticipate from his size and swing path, and I think it's more likely he becomes a high-average, high-doubles guy with 8-10 homers a year in the majors. With his defense and ability to make that kind of hard, line-drive contact, he projects as an above-average regular, one who could become more if his OBPs rise once he's not so young for his level.
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